I'm glad that you're getting so much guidance from others, because I can't fathom why someone would choose to not figure it out on their own.

It's like arriving at a trailhead with your friends for a 10-mile hike through beautiful country, and you informing your buddies, "Meh, I'll drive and just meet you guys at the campground." The enjoyment is the getting there, not the destination, but I guess that's just me.

Hi KB58,

To answer your question;1) I'm not overly interested in that portion of the build (figuring out suspension stuff), the other parts of the build are of much more interest to me and there are enough challenges in a build that I don't need to create more just for the sake of doing everything myself (by the way, I will do the suspension myself, I just asked if there are basic rules to follow), for instance, I bought a nose rather than build it myself even though I could do the fiberglas work...if I was so inclined.2) I'm not using a rack in my build, instead the steering box that came in the Fiat 124 donor, so am interested in some of the principles/basics/standards that are present in most good front suspension set ups.3) I use a Mac not a PC and most of the software for evaluating suspension seems to be for the PC and because of my minimal interest in the topic I haven't gone looking for an alternative.4) I'm most concerned about initially building a docile street machine that will make it through licensing with as little issue as possible. My intention is to then refine/modify as required or as I feel is necessary.5) I have this feeling that when Colin Chapman or William Lyons designed a car overnight, as has been reported in several circumstances, in a time before computers or even electronic calculators, that they used a set of rules and standards to draw the suspension. And it seemed to work pretty well. So, why can't I do it the same way?6) Surely you're not doing everything yourself from scratch are you? I'll bet not. I imagine that you're using a powerplant created by someone else and putting it into a frame that was designed by someone else and that you're building your suspension to a set of rules that have been set by people other than you. You're just willing to do more precise figgering on your suspension that I am. 7) re being at the trailhead...sometimes driving is the only way to get to your destination when you have limited time/energy/capability. And when I do that, I'm happy because I'm a "my cup is half full" kind of guy. I'd rather spend the time that I'd need to learn the new software and to do the figgering playing squash, sailing, flying my plane, reading a good book, doing some woodwork, walking the dog, reading other folks build logs, visiting family and friends, go to the cottage or even an hour two extra at work so that I can continue to pay for this whole list of distractions.

Joined: Sat May 02, 2009 1:03 pmPosts: 924Location: The Humid State of North Carolina

BHRmotorsport wrote:

7) re being at the trailhead...sometimes driving is the only way to get to your destination when you have limited time/energy/capability. And when I do that, I'm happy because I'm a "my cup is half full" kind of guy. Bill

I was thinking about this and I just had to laugh... if they were my friends and I told them this, none of them would be surprised, because I'd have more fun driving than hiking, half of them would want to ride with me and the other half would be bummed because they couldn't!

BTW.. the cup is always full.... always!

Cheers!

KS

_________________Don't ever become a pessimist. A pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events.-Robert A. Heinlein

I'm with Bill and Nick on this (with the exception that item 2 is the wrong way round). I went by basic principles, including what Bill had listed. I went for the castor that came from the donor car (miata), then applied the basic principles and went for it. I can adjust camber and toe and that's it. That is one of the principle reasons I went for the entire rear subframe from the miata. I wanted to get er done and drive it. Everything about car set up is a compromise. Sure, you can "optimize your compromise", but you are always going to have imperfect driving conditions for your assumed optimization (I'm referring to a street car not a race car). I've clocked up a few hundred miles on the car and it goes like stink.

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